Method of disintegrating and removing annular salamanders in nodulizing-kilns.



A., BRKUTIGAM. METHOD 0]? DISINTEGRATING AND REMOVING ANNULARSALAMANDERS IN NODULIZING KILNS.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1909.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST BRKUTIGAM, or soU n onAneE, NEW J RSEY, AssIGnon To AUGUSTEnexsonnn, or new YORK, N. Y5

METEOD F msmrnenaa'me Ann REMQVING ANNUL'AR. s pm nonULIzme-KILNs. v b VSpecification of Letters latent.

Patented Oct. 12',- 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST BRKUTIGAM, a German subject, residing atSouth Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in the Method of Disintegrating andRemoving Annular Salamanders in Nodulizing-Kilns; and I do herebydeclare the following'to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others. skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

In the nodulizing and'desulfurizing of fine iron ores, flue dust, spentpyrites, and like materials in inclined cylindrical rotary kilns, it isfound that an annular or ringlike salamander tends to form .at a' zonevarying say from 4 to 8 feet from the lower end of the kiln, and thatthis salamander will increase by degrees so as to seriously obstruct andfinally altogether interrupt the pro ress of the material to the lowerend of disc arge. Accordingly it has been customary, in such cases, tostop the rotation of the kiln and to breakdown the accumulation bymechanical means assisted by water coolafter the interior of the kilnhad cooled This operation is exacting upon the energies and endurance ofthe workmen, and-is attended with a considerable loss of'time and offuel.

. Moreover, it subjects the shell of the kiln to serious contractionattended with loosening of the tires or bands upon which it rests and inaddition to the usual damage inci dent to the use of water for coolinthe kiln, after the operation, has to'be rekindled and fired to theagain nodulize. r

By the present invention, I substitute for the practice referred to, amode of operation having as its characteristic feature the employment ofa jet of compressed air directed against the annular or ring-shapedsalamander as soon as it has formed to a sutlicient degree to. beobjectionable, The efi'ect of the air jet (preferably directed againstthe base of the ring) is apparently to suddenly chill the almostwhite-hot ring causing it to contract and crack and to shrink away fromthe brick lining of the kiln. In a short time, the air will find its waythrough the cracks and crevices to such an extent that, when therotation of the kiln proper heat before it will is resumed, a portion ofthe ring will become detached and fall down, whereupon the remainder,deprived of the key-stone 'supportof the detached portion, will collapseand. crumble into fragments.

.' In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents, partly in sectionand partly in side elevation the lower portion of a rotary nodulizingkiln and illustrates the mode of carrying out my invention therein. Fig.2 represents an end view of the furnace hood.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both views.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates a nodulizing kiln of the ordinaryconstruction, adapted to be supported upon friction rollers a in theusual way and to be rotated in any suitable manner, as, for instance, bfirepower-driven pinion b and the toothed band '0.

B indicates the customary hood, with its aperture d for the admission ofthe fuel-injecting burner, and e, f, 9 indicate supplemental apertures,which may be temporarily closed or bricked up,

may be uncovered, so as to serve as sight openings, or for theintroduction of the jettube (J. The jet-tube C may conveniently form' acontinuation of the hose m andis provided with a regulating valve n. I

I have indicated generally at. a: the usual place of formation of theannular or ringlike salamander, although it will be understood that itslocation will vary with'diiferent kilns and with different kilnconditions. As soon as it has become or tends to become suflicientlyobstructive to make its removal de slrable, I insert the jet-tube Cthrough one of the uncovered openings referred to, and admit a jet ofcompressed air (at a pressure ofsay 15 to 30 pounds) which thereuponimpinges against the ring-like salamander preferably at the basethereof. It is foun that the place against which the jet strikes becomespromptly reduced in temperature, having an immediate blackenedappearance as viewed through the sight openings. This producesapparently a contraction of the substance of the ring, and cracks andfissures develop in it, with the resultant efieet that in a short timethe air' finds its way through the cracks and fissures to sucha; an

if desired, during the usual run of the furnace, but any of which extentthat the ring begins to crumble and v when the'kiln again starts torevolve portions of the ring drop ofi. Usually, a section gives way anddisintegrates in such manner as to suddenly remove the support of theentire ring, so that it collapses as a whole, in manner similar tolthefall of an the kiln and may, ifsuitable, form a part of its nroduct.

I preferably stop the rotation of the kiln during tne application of theair jet, so as to concentrate the jet upon a single portion of the ring,2'. 6., its lowermost portion, but this, though desirable, is notabsolutely necessary, as the jet may, in some instances, be aDDllGdsimultaneously with the kilns revolution, or when the speed ofrevolution is either diminished or increased.

What. I claim is: 1

1. The method of disintegrating annular salamanders in rotary nodulizingkilns, which consists in directing against the salamander while in thehighly heated state a I jet of compressed air; substantially asdescribed.

2. The method ofdisintegrating and removing annular salamanders inrotary nodulizing kilns, which consists in directing against thesalamander while in the hi hly heated state a jet of compressed air anrotating the furnace until the annulus is broken down; substantially asdescribed.

3. The method ofdisintegrating and removing annular salamanders inrotary nodulizing kilns,- which consists in directing rotation of thekiln and directing against the lower portion of the salamander while inthe highly heated state a jet of compressed air, and resuming therotation of the furnace until the annulus is broken down; substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

- AUGUST BRAUTIGAM.

- Witnesses:

C. A. J-A UA, J. P. CoUoHLAN.

